Question by Stephanie:
I was thinking of buying secondhand baby gear but i’m afraid of bed bugs?
I was going to buy some secondhand baby gear from garage sales, secondhand stores, ect. But recently bed bugs have been everywhere on the news and such saying how bad they have been this year. What are the odds of bed bugs being in a bouncer or something from a secondhand store? I am freaking out!
Best answer:
Answer by Graybeard
It is unlikely you will find bedbugs in second-hand clothes or bedding, but there is a chance. They are so pernicious that it is worth being extra careful.
Bedbugs cannot tolerate high temperature; they die at temperature above 113 F. If you have doubts about anything, quaratine it in a garbage bag until you can run it through a dryer for a short while. That will kill all bedbugs.
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I get stuff at yard sales all the time and have never had a problem with bringing home weird stuff…but here are precautions to take:
Clean EVERYTHING really well before brining it into your household. When I get clothes (obviously no undergarments, socks or shoes) I launder them twice on heavy duty with warm water and detergent TWICE before I even try them on (I rarely wear anything delicate and never wear dryclean stuff). Anything that can’t be cleaned in the washer get’s cleaned outside with a hose and some sort of cleaner. I clean with bleach solution if it’s something that won’t be ruined by bleach. If it’s dishes, I fill the basin with water, add a healthy amount of bleach and let them soak for a while.
Sounds to me like all the components of a bouncer could be treated this way.
Also, pay attention to who you’re buying the stuff from and how clean they, their house and yard and their stuff looks. If they’re grubby and gross, you probably don’t want their stuff anyway.
Consider how you’re transporting things as well. I have a truck so my purchases go in the back of my truck til I get them home to clean them. If you’re in a car you can put a plastic bag lined box in your trunk or back seat and put your purchases in that til you can clean them.
Happy thrifting!